Shepherdista

Sheep Milk
Raw Milk • Natural Rind • Aged at least 2 months
The latest sheep cheese from Bleating Heart
Availability: 
April through December, in limited quantities, until sold out

***THIS CHEESE IS CURRENTLY SOLD OUT***

  • DOUBLE GOLD WINNER, SONOMA COUNTY HARVEST FAIR 2011

Created in 2011, this cheese is called "Shepherdista" which is a play on the words 'shepherd' and 'fashionista' as inspired by my commitment to infuse my own style and flair into my new-found agricultural pursuits....silver farm boots? Damn right. A pink cheesemaking apron? Naturally. Wearing lipgloss when hauling milk cans? Of course. Bleating Heart's Shepherdista is made exclusively from the milk of our Lacaune-East Friesian dairy sheep who live and graze on a 28 acre farm in western Sonoma County, on the outskirts of Sebastopol, CA. The cheese is made by hand in very small batches and then aged for at least 2 months in our aging room located on an apple orchard. Rather than adding specific molds to the milk or trying to force anything to grow (or not grow) we let the rind develop naturally and spontaneously - it's molds gone wild. The supple ivory paste has a few holes and contrasts beautifully with the stone-colored molds on the natural rind. With subtle grassy notes and a pleasant tang that only sheep milk can provide, Shepherdista is perfect on it's own paired with a light red wine or slightly acidic white wine, some crackers and fruit, but it's also the perfect candidate for a super chic grilled cheese or great shaved into a salad.

DISTRIBUTED BY:

TOMALES BAY FOODS (866) 249-7833

GREENLEAF SF (415) 647-2991

SONOMA ORGANICS (707) 829-8200 

CREAM AND THE CROP: (408) 827-4424

Ewes on Pasture
These are some of our beautiful ewes luxuriating in the pasture after being milked in the morning. You can see the grass that the girls transform into rich milk.
The Shepherdista logo, featuring one of our most elegant ewes, Ellen (named after comedian Ellen Degeneres). She is one of our most Lacaune-looking ewes and was among the first 10 sheep I picked up on my epic journey from California to Wisconsin and back.
The Shepherdista logo, featuring one of our most elegant ewes, Ellen (named after comedian Ellen Degeneres). She is one of our most Lacaune-looking ewes and was among the first 10 sheep I picked up on my epic journey from California to Wisconsin and back.
Here is Shepherdista in the cheese room after aging for ~60 days on rough sawn California redwood shelves. We have to keep the humidity rather high, well over 90% to encourage the molds to grow.
Here is Shepherdista in the cheese room after aging for ~60 days on rough sawn California redwood shelves. We have to keep the humidity rather high, well over 90% to encourage the molds to grow.